Walking this talk together every hour every day. This is seven or two. Let's walk the talk.
I'm sure many of you have views and contributions that you would like to make on the man that was did Mabuza. Many people from Buma Langa have a lot to say. I've been seeing on social media people saying, you know, Woodbank people stand up and all different parts of Buma Langa will get an opportunity to have a further conversation about your views of Mabuza in the open
line at the end of the show. The final hour of the show will be the open line and it will be your chance to speak about whatever is on your mind.
Okay, So we're moving.
To our psychological matters feature, and it's a really interesting one today just because of the time of the year that we're in, but also the reality of how fatigue really is a problem that many of us are experiencing, and sometimes it's not linked to any time of the year or any reason. Really, you find people saying I've been sleeping and I sleep for a full eight hours and I still wake up tired. But today we're speaking about why medio fatigue is still hitting hard or hitting
us hard. And what can help can we do anything about it? And for that conversation, we have the executive head of healthcare Consulting at financial advisory firm NMG Benefits. That's Karen Mitchellmore who joins US Now Live, and we're going to be having that conversation around whether medio fatigue is a reality or is it all.
In the mind.
You know, sometimes I do think that it's we think ourselves into being tired. I don't know, I mean, you find yourself in February. I've seen chokes on social media with people saying, oh, I already have year end fatigue, and we're in February March, you know, and some of the people are being honest, they are already feeling drained and tired, even after a lengthy break in you know,
lengthy December break, lengthy break in the holidays. So let's speak about mid year fatigue and what it's all about. Karen Mitchell Moore joins US Now Live. Karen, good evening, Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.
You know.
I keep saying, Karen that.
While we like to speak about midia fatigue or your in fatigue, sometimes we're just feeling fatigued, even in January after a lengthy break. I mean, is midyear fatigue a reality where people where when we hit that June mark, we already start feeling like, oh.
There's a bit of a slump.
You know, absolutely what happens is that you know, first of all, I mean, what is fatigue. It's really around the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. We set these you know, really almost unrealistical for ourselves at the beginning of the year. We've got resolutions to meet, you know, we've got work pressures, and then suddenly before we know it, we're at the middle of the year. We're feeling exhausted, we're seasonal changes and you know, we have this prolonged stress and it
affects our well being. So, you know, regardless of whether it's it's summer or winter, fatigue is is, it's a reality and it affects everybody.
Yeah, but can we link it to the time of year or is that just in our minds? Is there a direct link with the fact that it's been six months, It's been seven months and that's why we've hired.
So I don't think so, to be very honest, with you. I think you know, you can experience fatigue whether it's winter or whether it's summer. You know, if we just look at what fatigue is, it's often that it's when we've come from a rush from you know, trying to
reach all these goals and then suddenly we're exhausted. And when you do have a change of season, as I said, so you know, when we go into some more, we go into winter, you might find that you are that too hot, so you can't sleep, so you spend your night, you know, thinking about all the work pressures, you think about what's happening within your family, your own homes, and
the same happens with summer. I think you know, the struggle is there, and I mean there obviously are different types of fatigue, and we always say it depends on the person, it depends on your job. You know, you might find if it's wintertime, you know, being lonely, being dark, being kept inside could create a different type of mental you know, wellness issue. So you know, in some respect,
certainly seasonal changes can affect fatigue. But media fatigue is real, and that happens when when we just get to a point where we think, you know, what direction do we turn into? Now? Where do we go from here? We've still got half a year and it feels like I need to take a break.
And I mean, we'll come back to the types of a fatigue. I'm really interested in that. But before we go there, how would one know that they're experiencing fatigue? I also think it's a term that we use quite loosely, like you have a bad night's sleep, or you know, you just you struggle a bit a day or two and already you're saying, oh, I'm so fatigued. How would you know that you're going through madure fatigue?
You know? Again, as I said, you know, it depends on who you are. So for some people, they just feel absolutely exhausted. They might feel irritable, emotional, or even hopeless. You know, there's this new word that people are using, and it's quite scary. It's called presentism. You know, in our particular industry, we see it quite a lot because we very people focused at energy. We are dealing with people on a day to day basis, and what happens.
People come to work, they show up, but unfortunately, because of all the pressures that they have, whether it's emotional, whether it's financial, they're not really there, and it's more critical than what absentiism is because at least with absentieism, you know, you're hoping that people are going home, they're getting the rest they need, they're coming back and they revived.
But being at work and not really being able to do your job is not just critical or detrimental to you as a person, what also affects the productivity of the business.
We're taking your calls on zero double one, double eight three seven two or two to one double four six five six seven. We're speaking mid year fatigue and how you should know, how you can know if you're experiencing it, and you know, understanding your body at this time of the year, understanding your mind, your mental health and wellbeing at the time of the year, in all order to
continue until the end of the year. Karen, maybe we should go into those types of fatigue because you know, if you ask me, it all feels the same, might imagine, you know, especially if you aren't aware that the are types, you just always just feel tired.
So what are those types?
So?
I mean, first of all, people need to really just acknowledge that they fatigued and it can, you know, present itself in different ways. So you know, as I said to you, you might feel a little bit irritable, and often that is because you feel like you're overwhelmed. So that's the type of fatigue. If you don't listen to that, if you don't rest, if you don't take necessary breaks, that can turn into something you know, more critical, like burnout.
If you're looking at headaches and so on, you know, if you're not dealing with why you're having those headaches, whether it speaks to somebody being just you know, mentally stressed, if you're not creating boundaries for yourself, those headaches could become something that you know, could affect your health in a much bigger way.
And so once you're aware, you know that you are experiencing this, what can one do to address it?
I think you know, as you said that it's very important that you are aware and you acknowledge that you're struggling with fatigue. You know, Unfortunately, what there is a stigma attached to fatigue, to burn out, to depression, So people often suffer in silence, which it's a very very scary condition to have. People need to acknowledge that they're not alone. So many people suffer from from fatigue. In fact, probably around eighty to ninety percent of people. What we
suggest is, you know, take take some more time. You know, take some time to actually reset. You know, a holiday is really just a pause. And what we're saying is, try and look at who you are as a person. What are your goals? Be more realistic, do things for yourself. We always say, you know, exercise. A lot of what we do at Energy as well is we encourage lifestyle changes, create that work life balance, and most importantly talk to somebody.
So if I could give employers some advice, is we finding a lot of employers these days are taking or
signing up for what we call employee assistance programs. And with this it's a good practical, cost effective solution which gives employees a platform to reach out to professionals that can assist them with mental stress, with legal stress, financial issues, and of course things that's face to face counseling and trauma counseling, which a lot of these benefits on not normally available through a medical scheme, or they might be, but you know, not everybody, unfortunately has the privilege of
being on a private medical scheme due to affordability. So of course, having this particular platform available, you giving your employees the opportunity to take control and just you know, on the early onset of something like fatigue, be able to reset themselves before it becomes something more critical.
Of course, the reality is it's really hard to communicate something like you know, I'm experiencing fatigue to your employer. I mean you just you sound lazy, I'd imagine, so.
You would think so.
I think that's part of the stigma. Actually, But what employers are doing as well these days is that it used to be quite popular for employees to have or employers apologies to have like a wellness week. What we're finding more popular and now is that they're developing a wellness culture, and that is one that is open, empathetic, offers various tools that help employees to open up, be themselves, be more transparent, and give them that worth life balance,
so you know. And it also gives them more time to be with their families and set boundaries that are healthy for themselves as well as for the business.
We have an SMS here from someone who really highlights the challenges that many South Africans go through she says. My mom is ninety, my sister is sixty three, I am fifty two, my son is fifteen. We're surviving, not thriving. We have no financial means to eat out or go away for a weekend or holiday. I do believe that one has to have short breaks during the year, breakaway, a break away goals. How do you overcome the economy? Taking leave and staying at home is one thing. Taking
leave and going away is another thing. A change of environment is as good as a holiday. And you know, from that, really, you know current I think many of us are thinking. Many people don't have the means to take the much needed break, and so they just keep going with the hope that things will get better.
Unfortunately that's very, very true. But what we have to try and do is is they might not be able to go away, and I agree that for most it's unaffordable, but a change of environment does help. So, you know, regular walks, going to parks, you know, those are the type of things families can do together. You know, just having time where you know everybody consider around a dinner table. It's amazing. It's amazing how families pull together when they
spend time together. You know, and I always say as well, you know, you need to invest in your family and and and unfortunately, what we also find today also have younger children, is that very often across the generations, there there is there's almost like they are not understanding each other and their ways and what each one is going through.
But I think the more time you spend together and the boundaries that you set for each other, and the time that you sent that that's almost personalized, would really assist in pulling a family together and helping to uncover some of these pressures.
And you know, how do we go about encouraging you know, the idea that rest and boundaries are not luxuries? You know, because I think for many of us we think, you know, taking a break is a luxury. You know, it's not necessarily a necessity. And I think it's because of a price tag that's attached to it. I think you can agree that many people feel, you know, going oy or
taking a break comes with a price tag. If it doesn't mean spending money on a break, it means losing money while you're on a break, especially in this economy, How do we encourage people to keep remembering that rest and boundaries are not a luxury, they're necessity.
So you know, I agree with you that is important. People need to change their lifestyle, they need to change their mindset, they need to adjust their workload. It does always start by recognizing that the change is necessary, setting boundaries. Often we're not strict enough on ourselves. You know. We might say that, you know, when I leave work in the afternoon, that's the end of the day and from
then onwards its family to time. But then we allow one sneaky call to come in and unfortunately that is on ourselves, right, So we need to be true to ourselves and we need others to respect that space as well. Once we set those boundaries and we you know, we cement those boundaries, I think it becomes a routine, which then, you know, is the lifestyle change that we all need.
We're taking your calls on zero double one double a three oh seven O two. That's zero double one double eight three oh seven O two and two to one double four six o five six seven. If you'd rather send us what'sapp We're on zero seven two seven two one seven o two. We're speaking midiear fatigue and I want to hear from you. Are you experiencing medio fatigue. Do you think it's an actual thing? You know, I keep joking saying, I'm not sure that it's a you know,
it's it's it's a thing. You hear people saying in January, you're already, Oh, I'm so tired.
It feels like I'm at the end of the year already, you know.
But Karen mtchlemore is helping us make sense of fatigue and how to address it, how to prioritize rest, you know, and some time out, which isn't always a reality that many of us have. Okay, so let's speak about, you know, a person. Let's speak to people who are feeling pressure at the time of the year, Karen, anyone who's feeling pressure,
they feel like they can't take time out. They feel like they are suffocating, and they're being suffocated by their jobs or their obligation, you know, and all they have is home. What's a step by step approach that they can take in order to almost fight off the fatigue.
I think it's first of all, to look deeply into themselves and see what is actually exhausting them, because it's it could be various different areas, and those are the areas that you need to change. I think from a work perspective, it's about talking to your managers. Managers need to be more open to listening. Companies are also forming what they call wellness committees and in training people up to assist, you know, with managing this work life balance.
So it's about being able to approach your manager to start that process going. And as small as that may seem to you as a person that might be at the start of the struggle, that's probably the most important time to actually reach out and get the help that you need before it starts to become a serious condition that you know. We always say that burnout is so much more than anxiety, it's so much more than fatigue.
But unfortunately, burnout is a reality, and it happens because people don't take the first step when they need.
All right, let's take one of your voice notes.
Working this talk together every hour every day, this is seven or two.
Let's walk the talk.
Good evening, Homoso, Homoso. The topic that we are having Internet is like you're talking about me. Let me tell you my story, Homos. I work for this company, I will name them, and I would like to remain a Minimus Homozo.
My shift start at six.
Dady in the morning when I pick up the kids to go to school, and then after that I came back, I wait for my boss for us to start doing his meetings, so he will do his meetings. Say, for example, round about three four five, He's done with his meetings and now start socializing with his friend. So I'll be there waiting for him until that time. Whenever it feels
like going home, I'm killing you. Monday to Friday, I get home like every day run a bad eleven twelve Friday's even where sometimes I get home in the areas of the morning, like four or five in the morning, and that they need help us every day. So my body, I can feel my body that I'm fatigue, I need some rest. And on top of that, I don't get over time. I don't get paid over time. So I'm scared to lose this job because I'm the only one working in my family. My wife doesn't work and I've
got children to support. Every time when I raise this point, I'm like, you know, told you that if I don't want to work, I can go there, They'll find someone else. So really, I think I think I need help and I think I need an agent help.
Thank you, Homosom. Sure. I don't know if you could hear that, Karen.
I did. It was quite soft, but I did hear it. Do you perhaps have an EAP and employee assistance program available to you?
You know what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna try for us to try call Anonymous so that he can share more of these details with us, because I also have a couple of questions for him so that he can clarify and that we can try to find a way to help him through this, because it really does sound like it's weighing on him quite a bit, and it sounds you know, it sounds impractical. There's no working around this, and it sounds like a
nightmare more than a more than a job. So I'm gonna I'm gonna ask our producers U s intending to try call Anonymous and get him on the line so that he can explain to us exactly what's going on, and then we can try and give him some advice. And you know, sure, Karen, I think what he's raising is the reality of many South Africans. You know, the fatigue really is coupled with fear of losing the jobs that they have because of the economy and just their financial position.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And it's a ripples it's a ripple effect because you're unhappy at work, but if you leave your job, then you financially stressed, which creates mental, you know, health issues. So I absolutely agree with you, But there does need to something needs to happen within his personal and workspace
because what he's going through, unfortunately, is not sustainable. And he might be okay now, but it's first going to affect him unfortunately, and then what you find it will affect the family as well, because silently the family is struggling with us him being there. So when he does eventually get home, he's too exhausted to you know, to be with the family and and just you know, spend
quality time with the people that he loves. And I think what what is so sad, unfortunately, is that because you know, it's not easy to find a job these days, and for any employer to put somebody you know in a position, well you can walk away if you don't like it. It's it's really really unfair. But I I would I would definitely try and reach out to one of the other managers within the business. I would have the conversation about what is the expectation of my current position.
Was this something that I find for signed up for initially, and then try and look at maybe even if there are other positions within the business that you could grow into, because then that might help you as well. Because I would never ever recommend that anybody walk away from a job. But I certainly believe that if you take the right steps and you look at what you really want as a person and where you really want to be, you can slowly work towards that and then move yourself out
of situations that don't suit you. And that could certainly be one of the solutions he could look at. So it's really about having the conversation, and that's the important first step.
Okay, I think.
We have Anonymous on the line for him to just share more with us about the situation so we can try and find a way to advise them going forward. Anonymous, thank you so much for speaking to us, and thank you for opening up in the way that you have. You know, the one question, Karen, I think you had a question actually where you are asking whether there's an agreement that he has.
Yes, I was actually just saying, whether there is an employee assistance program available to the employees at your company.
Now? Actually, there's nothing like that in our company or relend just explained this to you. When it's been three years now, I've been working for this company and this thing has been happening every day. When I start waking for this company, I was told that my suit was start at sixth DY. But the ending time, there's no ending time. The ending time is when the boss feel like going home. As I said, oh my boys. And it's not only him, it's him, his family, his friends
that I look after. It's an every single day. And I guess I said, this is yere taking it told of me. You know, I don't have time for my family. Sometimes it happens on the weekend. He don't get notified. He just received a call. I want you to do ABCD for me. So as the boss chances of saying no, I can't, it's it's like, you know, you know I can't. Are you're disrespecting you? No?
So yeah, that's my life, no, I think, And you're in a very very tough situation what I was saying earlier, And I'm not sure if you heard me. Is it's about reevaluating what you want as a person, of course, and I said this, don't ever walk away from a position that you have, because it's not easy to find
another job. But what you can do is by reevaluating, you can look at what it is and what your purpose is, what is it that you want to do, and slowly upskilling yourself or moving in a direction where you can say, now it's enough that you've got a new direction and and you know you've got something that's going to you know, grow you into the person that you want to do. Because I certainly would never recommend
that you suffer in silence like this indefinitely. I mean, if is there anybody else that you can speak to in the business that can guide you into how you can perhaps move in a different direction or take a different role within the business.
Exactly? There is that one that I always talk to. That's my way to place see understand my situation. But the problem is he doesn't have the power to power. Lize is my boss. He tried to speak to you many times, but it seems it's if nothing is changing. I guess you said, you know, I sit down, think about it, try to work something out for myself in a different way without.
Losing his job, because I do think I do think that's a very good step. You know, focus on what you really want, you know, what is it that that doesn't serve you, and slowly move into a direction where you're going to get that gratification that you can grow.
That's what I'm currently, you know, looking at at the moment, I guess i'm speaking to you now. I'm just sitting reading for you since I was year at about like lifetime. I don't know what where you're gonna go home?
Sorry, Anonymous? Is there a reason why you're traveling with your boss?
I drove it. Let me say I'd drive in every day to wherever you need to.
Okay, okay, okay, sure, And and there's no one about your boss that you could escalate this too.
No, No, it's the last man's ready. That's very very No, it is it is because currently I can tell you now I've got some other very very sensitive issue that is opinion of my life. Because I don't want to say this on public station because something somebody might be listening and it will be easy to find out why. Yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it's time.
That is really anonymous. I just want to thank you for sharing your story with us. You know, it's a it's a true depiction of what Menis Africans are going through, you know, under the current circumstances. But I you know, the one thing that I'd like to advise you on is just to take time for yourself. Whenever you find time to be in a quiet corner, take time for yourself, you know, to listen to your thoughts, to be with yourself so you don't lose your mind.
Your mind is all you have really at this point.
You know that's true, that's true, that's very true.
But also just just talking to people.